The Stratham Fair returns this weekend with rides, games and other activities. (Courtesy photo)

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Two horses competiting in a horse pull event at a previous Stratham Fair. (Courtesy photo)

STRATHAM - The Stratham Fair will kick into gear from Thursday, July 17, to Sunday, July 20, offering residents a one-stop shop for entertainment, thrills and food.Rides, vendors, concerts, animal exhibitions, and numerous other activities will be set up at Stratham Hill Park this weekend with all proceeds supporting the Stratham Fire Department.The fair, which is in its 47th year, will start on Thursday with the annual Daily Breakfast Service at 7 a.m. After the raising of the colors at 9 a.m., the fairground will open at 10 a.m.Rides will open at 2 p.m. on Thursday.Classic events like the Pie Eating Contest and the Rabbit Hurdling Competition will take place throughout the weekend as rides, music, vendors, and other livestock exhibits and competitions are available for viewing on the fairgrounds.Fair Director Vicky Avery said that one big difference between this year's fair and fair's in years prior is that the annual Miss Stratham Fair Pageant will be moved from Friday to Thursday night.

"We will also be having a miss outstanding teen pageant as well," said Avery. The Miss Stratham Fair Outstanding Teen Pageant will take place on Thursday at 4 p.m.Throughout the weekend, more than 30 bands will play among the noise of the rides, vendors, and livestock. These bands will be split between the David C. Noyes Main Stage and the Front Porch Stage.For the ride lovers, wristbands will be available for purchase allowing fairgoers to go on the majority of rides. Wristbands will cost $17 to $25 dollars depending on the amount of time it is used for.On both Friday and Saturday night, a big headliner act will be performing on the David C. Noyes Main Stage.Josh Logan, nationally-known artist from season five of the reality competition The Voice, will perform on the David Noyes Main Stage at 8 p.m. on Friday.Nine other bands will also be performing on Friday. Among them are the bands, People Like You!, Gretchen and the Pickpockets and Bluebirds.Saturday's headliner concert will be singer/songwriter Ryan Brooks Kelly. Kelly and his band have performed more than 400 shows in New England, New York, and Tennessee.

A Smuttynose beer tent will serve beer and wine from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.On Sunday, the fair will feature several special animal activates, such as the oxen pull and horse pull. There will also be a Chicken BBQ lunch, a Rabbit Quiz Bowl and a Pig Scramble.Sunday will also be "New Hampshire Made Day" at the fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Main Stage."There are people who craft and suppliers who are based in New Hampshire," said Avery. "So were going to have a marketplace set up just for the day on Sunday."Throughout the entire fair weekend, local 4-H members will showcase animals in a variety of competitions and exhibitions."This is something that allows them to get some feedback on how their doing on raising their animals and taking care of them," said Avery about 4H's participation.The fair will close, as it always does, with a bang on Sunday night. At 9:30 p.m. the traditional fireworks display will thrill fairgoers and the fair will officially close on Sunday at 10 p.m.